Jets OC Jeremy Bates: There’s no issue with Sam Darnold’s release

One of the biggest knocks against Sam Darnold going into the 2018 draft was his long throwing release, which many attributed to his turnover proclivity in college. It didn’t stop the Jets from selecting him third overall, but the question about Darnold’s throwing motion came up again after four of his passes were batted at the line and one was interception Sunday against the Broncos.

When asked about the batted balls Thursday, offensive coordinator Jeremy Bates claimed two were the result of play-calling and that there wasn’t anything wrong with Darnold’s release.

While that may be true, the fact remains Darnold has thrown six interceptions in five games after many scouts tethered his turnovers to his elongated motion. Darnold’s long windup helps him hurl balls with incredible distance (like this one to Robby Anderson), but it also allows defenders to more easily disrupt his passes.

This isn’t to say Darnold’s six turnovers can all be attributed to the way he throws the football, but is something that continues to be a concern. When questioned about his throwing motion even before the draft, Darnold said his throwing motion was fine and he saw no reason to change it after a prolific college career at USC.

“The motion I have is what got me to this point, and I really haven’t gotten into trouble with it,” Darnold said back in March. “It doesn’t change how fast I get the ball out. If I need to shorten up and get the ball in right now, I’m able to shorten my release and get it to them.”

The Jets weren’t worried about Darnold’s release when they drafted him, and it appears as though Bates still isn’t worried even after the interceptions and batted balls. It’s only been five games, so the sample size on Darnold’s progression and technique is still small. But it will be telling if Darnold continues to see his passes knocked down at the line or any of his interceptions will be tied directly to his throwing motion.

For now, all Bates can do is teach Darnold and hope his quarterback learns from his mistakes.

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